NEET Reservation – Senior Citizen Seeks Medical Admission Quota Through High Court
NEET Reservation –A petition filed before the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court has brought renewed attention to the issue of providing reservation opportunities for elderly candidates seeking admission to medical courses through the NEET examination.
The oldest candidate to appear in both the May 3 National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Undergraduate courses (NEET-UG) 2026 and its re-examination held on June 21 has approached the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court, requesting the introduction of a dedicated reservation for senior citizens in medical colleges. Seventy-year-old Ashok Bahara has asked the court to direct the Central Government to consider creating a one per cent quota for eligible elderly aspirants seeking admission to MBBS and other medical programmes.
Petition Highlights Demand for Policy Review
According to the petition, Bahara has urged the court to instruct the Union Government to examine his proposal and take an appropriate policy decision within a specified time frame. He has requested that the matter be considered in accordance with existing legal provisions and in the interest of justice.
The plea does not seek immediate admission for the petitioner. Instead, it focuses on the broader issue of creating a special reservation or quota that could benefit senior citizens who continue to pursue higher education and professional careers later in life.
Earlier Representations Received No Response
The petition states that Bahara had previously submitted two separate representations to the Central Government raising the same demand. In those communications, he sought the introduction of a dedicated reservation for senior citizens participating in NEET-based admissions to medical institutions.
However, according to the court filing, those representations did not result in any favourable response or policy action. Following the absence of a positive outcome, the petitioner decided to seek judicial intervention, requesting the High Court to direct the government to formally examine the proposal.
Focus on MBBS and Other Medical Courses
The request covers admissions to MBBS as well as other medical programmes where admission is granted through the NEET-UG examination. The petitioner believes that eligible senior citizens should have an opportunity to compete under a separate reservation category, considering that individuals may choose to pursue medical education at different stages of life.
The plea places emphasis on policy consideration rather than challenging the existing admission process. It asks the court to ensure that the Centre evaluates the proposal through the appropriate administrative and legal framework before taking a final decision.
Court Expected to Consider the Matter
The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court is expected to examine whether directions should be issued to the Central Government regarding the petitioner’s request. At this stage, the case is centred on the consideration of a policy proposal rather than the implementation of any immediate reservation.
The outcome of the proceedings could determine whether the government is required to formally review the representations submitted by the petitioner and communicate its decision within a time period fixed by the court. Until then, the existing admission process for NEET-based medical courses remains unchanged.